The moment the words leave his mouth, his shadows react. They wrap around me from all sides, dragging over my bare flesh, desperate to claim every inch as theirs.
Tension crackles under my skin. My body locks up, strung tight. On the edge.
And just before I fall apart, the shadows shudder and press closer, sculpting themselves to every curve.
When my orgasm hits, they pulse in sync with every broken sound I make.
An entire universe explodes behind my eyes, stars bursting through the darkness.
Ezra fucks me through the aftershocks, then stills with a guttural moan, spilling deep inside me. He buries his face in my hair, breath hot against my skin, trying to breathe me into his bones.
His lips ghost down my spine, leaving behind more heat than breath.
I’m spent. Shaking. Fucking desecrated. But before he pulls away, his lips brush my ear. His voice is a promise, carved in vocal cords and vibration.
“Is liomsa tú.”
I’m face down, ass up, and honestly, just happy I survived being used as an altar by a six-foot-nine shadow god who moans in dead languages.
Holy hell. This man is divine filth.
The bed dips as Ezra slips away, soft footsteps trailing into the bathroom. I hear the hiss of water, followed by the quiet clatter of a drawer. Then he’s back, warm washcloth in hand, breath catching in a moan before he even touches me.
“Uffern sanctaidd, Aurora. Watching my cum drip out of you?Kuso … utsukushii …”
With a quiet sigh, he helps me clean up, then disappears into the bathroom to do the same.
I sit naked on the bed and hold my hands out, watching the flames dance over my skin, though they’re already dimmer than they were just minutes ago.
Sinking back into the pillows, I stare at the ceiling, trying to reconcile the past eight hours.
I’m different now. Something ancient moves through my blood. Something powerful burns through my bones. It’s what I wanted. But how much has it changed me?
I sit up slowly, my head heavy and off-balance. Something snagged the duvet earlier, something that shouldn’t be there. I reach up, fingers halfway to my scalp, when Ezra steps out of the bathroom. He’s in nothing but black boxer briefs, his hair damp and messy from the shower.
Goddamn. Sometimes I forget how beautiful he is. I still don’t know what he sees in me. But whatever it is, I’m not letting go.
He hides something behind his back, then settles beside me, immediately lacing our fingers together.
“Hello, little lupine. Are you well?” His mouth pulls into a grim line, eyes crinkling with concern.
A shadow tendril wraps around his arm, mirroring his worry. Another slithers up his ribs, coiling over his heart to check for damage. He exhales sharply, brushing them aside.
“All is well, Ezra,” I say, tilting my head to get a better look. “What are you hiding back there?”
“Ah. Well, I wasn’t sure if you were up for moving around. You’ve been through a lot, not only in the past few hours, but in the past week. I thought you might … wish to see what you look like in your magical form. You don’t have to, but I wanted to offer,” Ezra says, almost shyly.
The gesture is thoughtful, but it’s his tenderness that catches me off guard. That’s what makes it hit harder.
He’s such a freaking cutie when he’s like this. But I also know that being this far off-script is uncomfortable for Ezra, so I reward him with a soft kiss on the cheek just before I nuzzle into his neck, where I feel safe and sound.
“Careful, darling. Those antlers are beautiful but look quite sharp. I don’t mind a little rough play, but I don’t want to lose an eye,” he chuckles, tightening his arm around my waist. “So, what do you think, Aurora? Are you ready?”
“Iwantto see. I guess I’m scared. I’ve always been … me. Now what am I?”
My voice wavers, making me sound so weak and pathetic.
Nothing like the queen I’m supposed to be.
